


Bitter Little Pill

by Codydarkstalker



Series: In A Better World (Deep Dish Nine) [2]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, deep dish nine fandom
Genre: Deep Dish Nine, M/M, Mirror Universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-23
Updated: 2015-11-27
Packaged: 2018-05-03 01:45:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5271929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Codydarkstalker/pseuds/Codydarkstalker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a much darker world, Elim Garak is alone and unhappy. Despite his position of power, he is unable to return to his homeland, and he hates his work. Enter a young Julian Bashir. Julian works at a free clinic at the edge of the neighborhood, patching up gunshot wounds and selling prescription pills on the side. Together they might find a way to swallow life's bitter pills.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

(In a darker world, on the other side of the looking glass)

Garak stared out the window and sighed. It was raining again. The view from his penthouse was normally a fairly nice on, he could see the city stretching out for miles around him, but now the floor to ceiling windows were spattered with rain and the sky was dark. He hated the rain. 

He turned away from the window and looked around his home. It was dark, he hadn’t bothered to turn on any lights on when he came home, and there was no one else there. Work had been long and tiring. Following the Cardassian Bajoran war, he had been promoted through the ranks of the Obsidian Order, and now ran a large network of contractors out of the Federation territory. He did not enjoy his new work, and in many ways felt he had been gotten rid of, placed out of the way, far away from Cardassia. But there was little to do about it. 

“Perhaps I should find some way to distract myself from this gloomy weather…” Garak glanced at the window again just in time to see a bright streak of lightning that flashed across the sky. He repressed and shudder and moved away. 

He wandered into the kitchen, opening the fridge and rifling through a few cabinets, frowning at what he saw. His maid was the one in charge of doing the shopping for him, it wasn’t something he could be bothered to do himself, and while she had apparently bought everything on the extensive list he had given her, he was not tempted by anything he found. 

He looked at the window again, taking in the sight of the city spread out beneath him. He could go out and find something to eat, maybe something to distract him for a little while. He nodded to himself and went to the door, slipping on a long black jacket and wrapping a scarf around his neck. It was cold out and he wasn’t interested in catching a cold.

The elevator was empty, which he was thankful for. Sometimes he fantasized about moving into a freestanding house, but that would mean being even farther from the city, which didn't appeal to him. Outside, the rain was falling in sheets, and even with the streetlights on it was dark. 

The front of the building was lit up, and there was noise leaking out from Quark’s. He paused for a moment outside the bar, contemplating going in. Quark served food in addition to drinks, and there would be pretty girls and cards to play. But that wasn't what he was looking for. He had never really liked Quark, or his seedy little bar. It was too loud and too noisy and the place reeked of sweat and stale beer. 

Garak turned and started down the road, the rain had lightened to a drizzle. He kept to the sidewalk and out of the puddles of light from the streetlamps. The area had been busy lately, and that wasn't necessarily a good thing. A number of the old buildings had been bought up by contractors from Cardassia, and any day trucks and machines would be showing up to tear them all down. It would be glorious, seeing all that filth and rot reduced to rubble and hauled away, making room for new, beautiful buildings. 

He looked up at the sky and imagined it dotted with glowing towers made from steel and glass, lights shining in every window. With the sky lit up like that it might even look a bit like home. He couldn't decide if that was improvement. Better to with old judgement until the plans were further along. 

Garak followed the sidewalk as it bent around a corner, and then another. Most of the buildings he passed were empty, with notices from the city stuck on the door alerting people to their eminent destruction. But at the end of the block one building was lit up, and there was a lone figure standing outside. As he got close Garak could see it was a young man, tall and almost painfully thin. He was leaning against a lamp post smoking a cigarette, the smoke rising up from his mouth in ghostly little tendrils. When he heard Garak’s footsteps he turned slightly, eyeing the other man warily. 

Garak slowed as he approached. He could see the man was young, much younger than him, but there was something off about him. Even from a distance Garak could see it, even in the wan light from the streetlamp. The young man was wearing a white button down shirt under a dark navy jacket that looked too large for his slight frame, and on the front was a bright stain of what was almost unmistakably blood.

“Evening,” the young man said, nodding a greeting. “You here for the clinic? Cause we just closed.” He gestured to the building with his chin.

It was an old brick building, small and low to the ground, sandwiched in between two larger, newer structures. Over the top of the double doors there was a neon sign, some of the lights flickering a bit. It read, “Enterprise Free Clinic”. 

Garak turned to the young man, who hadn't moved from his spot under the street light. “Actually no, I was just taking a walk. I wasn't even aware there was a health facility around here. Are you a doctor here?” He kept his eyes trained on the man’s face, and away from the blood on his shirt. 

The young man shrugged and took a long drag on his cigarette. “I work here. Sometimes. Names Julian, Julian Bashir.” He reached out a hand to shake. 

Garak hesitantly did the same after peeking down to make sure Julian’s hand was a good deal cleaner than his shirt.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, I am Garak.” He flashed one of his best smiles. 

Julian tilted his head, taking a better look at him. “Garak?” He frowned, clearly lost in thought. “You own my building. The building where my apartment is, that is.”

Garak quirks an eyebrow up. “Is that so? I own a good deal of the buildings in this area.”

Julian shook his head. “Yeah, maybe. But you live in mine, it's the one with the bar downstairs, run by that little guy and his brother.” He paused. “and I'm almost certain you live in that building too. I've seen you coming and going before.”

Garak nodded slowly. He wasn't sure he liked this young man being so aware of him. But the man was interesting, something new. He hadn’t seen him in the apartment. And now, standing in the soft yellow of the light above him, unabashedly covered in what must be human blood, he painted rather an intriguing picture. 

Julian dug into his pocket with a free hand, pulling out a battered pack cigarettes. “You want one?” He asked.

Garak shook his head, but before he could respond, the door behind him slammed open. A blonde woman in me forties came out, her arms wrapped around herself in an attempt to keep the chill away. She was wearing thin periwinkle blue scrubs, and clean looking athletic shoes. When she saw Julian she scowled. 

“Julian? Are you still here?” She hurried over and looked at him, ignoring Garak completely. “julian, I have no idea how you're still on your feet. You need to go home, right now, and clean up and then go to sleep. And you should probably eat something, god only knows when you last had a proper meal.”

Julian waved his hand at her. “Christine, I'm fine. No need to worry about me.”

She fixed him with a silent glare, the effect somewhat ruined by her shivering. 

Julian slumped and put his hands in the air in a gesture of defeat. “Fine, fine. I will go.” He turned to Garak and grinned. “Looks like I'm off duty, mind if I walk home with you? This area can be a bit rough at night.”

Garak hesitated a moment before nodding. The young man’s face had looked strange in the light, his eyes cold and empty for a brief moment before becoming warm again. 

“It would be a pleasure Doctor.” He gave a small nod to the nurse and the offered the young man his arm. “I promise to protect you from any harm.”

The nurse’ eyebrows shot up, and she gave Julian a startled look, but the young man simply laughed and looped his thin arm into Garak’s. 

They set off for the apartment like that, Julian keeping his grip on the other man’s arm. When Garak glanced out of the corner of his eye, he was surprised to see the young man looking right back at him, staring unabashedly. Garak turned his gaze away, careful not to appear startled.

“So, Doctor, I don't believe I've seen you in the building before. I thought I knew everyone who lived there.” Garak let the hint of a question creep into his words.

Julian shrugged, shoulder rubbing against the other man with the movement. “I moved in not too long ago, but I keep an… odd schedule. The life of a doctor you know.” 

Garak nodded, considering. Yes, he knew all about odd schedules. He also knew most doctors made enough to live in a nicer part of town. “Oh undoubtedly. And working at a free clinic, it must be very trying. So many emergencies around here.” that wasn't even a lie, the area was a violent one, it wouldn't shock him if most of what the doctor did was patch up gang members and mugging victims. 

“Oh yes. Quite a violent part of town, gives me lots to work with.” Julian shot Garak a look. “No doubt you know all about the area.”

Garak shrugged. “I am familiar with the neighborhood, but clearly I don’t know everything.” He turned his head and smiled as seductively as he could. “After all, I didn’t even know that a delightful man such as yourself was living right under my nose.” 

They had reached the building, and Garak slipped his arm out of Julian’s grip so he could open the door, bowing the younger man inside with a flourish. 

“Well I am happy to have made your a acquaintance.” Julian put a hand on Garak’s shoulder, giving his arm a firm squeeze through the layer of his coat. “Perhaps I'll see you again sometime soon. After all, we're neighbors, we should be friends.” He gave Garak a parting smile, showing perhaps just a bit too much teeth, and headed up the stairs. 

Garak stayed and waited for the elevator, turning the conversation over in his mind. Julian Bashir. Doctor Julian Bashir. He would have to look into the young man, it wasn’t often someone caught his interest like this. As he stepped into the elevator he gave the door to the stairwell one last glance, wondering if he should have followed the young man. But it was too late for that, and there would certainly be more chances to speak to the young doctor, he would make sure of it.


	2. Chapter 2

Julian kept his face neutral until he was inside his apartment, once he had slammed the door shut behind him he collapsed on the floor and buried his face in his hands, breath coming ragged. He hadn’t been expecting to get caught outside of the clinic by Garak, and the whole ordeal had put him on edge.

He took a moment to steady himself before clambering to his feet. He stripped as he walked to the bathroom, dropping his soiled clothes on the floor as he went. The shirt stuck to his skin when he pulled it off, the blood had dried and it felt stiff in his hands. He hesitated a moment before throwing the shirt into the trash, it would be easier to get a new one than it would to get the blood stains out. It was a cheap shirt anyway.

The shower felt good, and Julian leaned against the tiled wall for support as he let the water flow over him. The water going down the drain was tinted pink for a few minutes, but by the time it was running clear again he was more awake and alert. He scrubbed himself down, taking extra care to make sure there was no blood left on his torso. Running his hands over his stomach, he frowned, his ribs felt a bit too prominent, and when he thought about it he couldn’t remember the last time had eaten. He scrubbed his hair quickly, and then took a moment to scrape his fingernails over the bar of soap, cleaning away and blood and grime that may have been stuck there.

He stayed under the spray, scrubbing again and again, turning the water hotter and hotter. Eventually he tired of the Lady Macbeth routine and turned the water off. He grabbed a partly damp towel off the floor and wrapped it around his waist. When he looked in the bathroom mirror he could see dark circles under his eyes. He brushed his teeth and then went to his bed, dropping the towel on the floor. 

Julian crawled between the sheets and rolled over to look at the bedside table. There was a stack of textbook on it, and felt a momentary flash of guilt over not doing any studying. He still had a few pills left in the bottle in the drawer. He could take one or two and stay up reading. He rolled the idea around in his head for a while and then thought better of it. His hands had been shaking at work, if he didn’t get some sleep he would slip up and someone would notice. He turned over again and buried his face in his pillow. He closed his eyes and willed his body to relax, his mind to clear, instead his thoughts turned to Garak. The run in with the older man had shaken him badly. Cardassians, he knew, were scary people. Ruthless and bloodthirsty. He fell asleep eventually, his mind full of false smiles and cold blue eyes.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Garak spent the next morning at his computer, looking through a number of public and private records. They were all about one young man in particular, Julian Bashir. The young man had introduced himself using the title “Doctor” but he hadn’t been able to find any record of a man with that name with a medical licence. 

He smiled to himself. It was no great shock that a cut rate clinic like the one “Doctor” Bashir was working at would hire an unlicensed physician, but it gave Garak some good leverage anyways. With this knowledge he could have them shut down, send Julian and his employers to jail, or just keep the knowledge to himself for later use. Blackmail material was always handy, he had learned. 

A bit of further research revealed that while Julian Bashir was not a practicing doctor with a real licence, he was actually a medical student. He was listed as a student at a nearby university. So clearly the boy was smart, probably even smart enough to do the job at the clinic with some competence. That was also good to know. 

He turned away from the computer for a moment, scrubbing a hand over his face. He took a key out of his pocket and unlocked the drawer at the bottom of the desk. Reaching inside he pulled out a small orange bottle of pills. He shook them once before opening the bottle with a quick motion of thumb, pouring two into his palm. He swallowed them with a small sip of kanar, and then slumped back in his chair, pill bottle still in hand. He waited a moment before looking into the pill bottle, counting what remained. It wasn’t much, maybe enough for a few more days of functioning normally, a week if he cut back and tried to ignore the pain. 

He had been planning on dealing with the pain as long as he could and then, when it was too much, finding some other drug to turn to. The city was seedy enough that finding a drug dealer wouldn’t have been overly difficult. But it would have been messy. It would have meant taking chemicals he wasn’t familiar with, paying of dealers to make sure they kept quiet, making sure no one knew what he was doing. It would have been tiresome and messy and eventually there would have been too much room for error and he would have slipped. 

But now, now he had options. He had Julian. Well, he didn’t have julian just yet, but he would, soon. Very soon. He smiled to himself and took another sip of kanar. The combination of pills and drink was making him feel warm. Everything was a bit less harsh and bright. it was nice like this, having everything a bit out of focus. 

Garak tossed back the last of his drink and pushed himself away from the desk. He pulled out his phone and tapped a few buttons on the screen, sending a message to one of the underlings in his network. Julian Bashir would be ready for him when he returned from work the next day.


End file.
